Information Science/Studies at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Saint Mary's Information Science program shows a dramatic earnings trajectory that demands closer examination. Graduates start at just $25,534—landing in the bottom 10% both nationally and among Minnesota's eight programs offering this degree. Yet four years out, they're earning $67,975, which surpasses both the state median ($56,977) and national median ($58,651). That 166% growth rate is remarkable, but here's the catch: this data represents fewer than 30 graduates, making it difficult to know if this pattern is repeatable or reflects a handful of exceptional outcomes.

The debt load of $21,999 is actually reasonable—below Minnesota's median for this program and yielding a manageable 0.86 debt-to-earnings ratio based on first-year income. The real question is what explains that first year. Are graduates entering temporary positions while pursuing advanced degrees? Working part-time initially? Without more graduates to establish a pattern, it's impossible to know whether your child would follow the four-year success story or struggle through those early years.

If your child is considering this program, treat those four-year earnings as a best-case scenario rather than an expectation. The small sample size means one or two outlier careers could be skewing the data dramatically. You're essentially betting on outcomes we can't verify, especially when larger Minnesota programs like Metropolitan State show more consistent mid-$60K results from the start.